


Walk Together

by BadSquidPuns



Category: Tobaku Haouden Rei | Gambling Emperor Legend Zero, 無頼伝 涯 | Buraiden Gai | Legend of Outlaw Gai
Genre: Alternate Universe — FKMT All-Stars, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2020-03-01 02:35:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18791254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BadSquidPuns/pseuds/BadSquidPuns
Summary: In which Zero looks out for Gai.





	Walk Together

Gai only ever seemed to be in one of two places — in the abandoned house downtown, or at the Dream Kingdom's punching machine.

Zero got to know him at the latter, watching him beat the stuffing out of the game's pads.

"You really hang out at that old place?"

"Yep." He gave the machine a right hook. It beeped, registering a new high score. "I like living on my own."

"What about food? Are you getting enough to eat?"

"Yeah, I get enough." Gai sparred with the machine, bouncing on his heels.

"You look thin. Should I bring you something later?"

"Will you leave me alone if I let you?"

Zero grinned. "Alright. I'll get some cup noodles, then."

After that, Zero came by as often as he could, carrying a bag of cheap convenience store food and bottled water. Gai didn't refuse the hospitality — he'd be an idiot to turn down a free meal — but he never looked happy at the gift.

"Don't come back after this."

"Gai, you're still a kid." Zero gripped his shoulder. "What am I going to do, let you sit here and starve?"

"I'm fine!" He squirmed away from Zero's hand. "In a few more years, I'll be able to get a job, and then I can take care of myself."

"You have to find something to eat until then, so…" Zero pushed the bag into Gai's hands. "I just want to make sure you're doing okay. Tell me if you need more clothes or anything like that, okay?"

Gai huffed. "I told you, I'm fine. Stop worrying about me."

Eventually, Gai stopped opening the door for Zero. Undeterred, he simply left the bag outside; it would be gone the next day, so Gai was obviously eating what Zero brought.

It made Zero glad to see that, especially as winter came on. Gai only had a little portable stove for heat, after all, and what few clothes he had were almost threadbare.

Sometime in early January, Zero stopped by to find yesterday's bag still sitting there. That was a little odd.

"Gai…?" Zero tried the door. It opened without resistance.

Gai was on the floor, curled up in a blanket and laying in front of a stove with a weak yellow flame. His entire body trembled.

"Gai! Gai, are you okay?" Zero dropped the bag and went to pick Gai up bridal-style. He was surprisingly light and seemed thinner than the last time Zero had seen him. Was he living on nothing but cup noodles?

"I'm fine. Put me down." Gai's voice was weak and unconvincing.

"You're coming to stay with me, Gai. You can't keep living out here."

He groaned in protest as Zero carried him outside, but didn't make any move to get away.

Zero's apartment already had the heat on, and Gai's shivering lessened as soon as he stepped through the door. He laid him on the floor and ran to get a futon, throwing the entire thing on top of him like a giant blanket.

He warmed a mug of tea in the microwave and brought it to Gai, along with a plastic straw.

"Here. Drink." Zero poked Gai's lips with the straw. "It'll warm you up." He kept poking him until Gai finally put the straw in his mouth.

He took a sip, then proceeded to drain the rest of the cup in one go.

"You don't have to depend only on yourself, Gai." Zero watched the steady rise and fall of Gai's chest. "You could have died out there."

"It's not that cold…" he mumbled. "I would have managed."

"Managed to get frostbite, maybe."

"Why do you care?"

Zero paused. "Well, isn't it just human nature to help other people out?"

Gai rolled over, pulling the futon around him the best he could. "I doubt it." He was still shivering, but not as much as he had been.

"I just don't like to see people living in conditions like that. You deserve better, Gai." Zero rubbed his shoulder. "Humans are social animals, you know? We're stronger when we work together."

A long silence followed.

"Can I really stay with you?" Gai finally asked. 

"Yeah, it's fine. Stay as long as you need to."

"Okay. But as soon as I get a job, I'm moving out."

Zero laughed. "Well, I guess I'll be looking after you in the meantime, then."


End file.
